Episode Two: Devon Smullen

Devon Smullen makes beautiful basses. Just take a look at the picture above.

​But there's much more to the story.
 
His craftsmanship is what you would expect from a luthier who studied art and design in college and grew up with a woodworking father. He loves a beautiful piece of flame maple and has mastered the art of creating colours and finishes that only enhance the wood’s natural beauty.
 
But what takes his instruments to the next level are the technical innovations he’s brought to the game. He’s taken inspiration from other builders and a dedicated customer base and re-thought how to make his instruments more flexible and user friendly. He’s created a couple of truly innovative features that have the potential to take electric basses (and guitars too for that matter) into uncharted sonic territories.
 
If you’d like to take a second and head over to Devon's site and take a look at what I’m talking about before you listen, go right ahead. Or better yet, scroll through the pictures as you listen.
 
Listen below, or on your favourite Podcast provider as we talk about inspirations and process, innovations, the bass business and a tackle a few of those big philosophical questions. 
 
I hope you enjoy.

And, as promised (listen to the podcast, you'll know what I mean) here's the link to that bass that sparked the flame.
Devon with one of his creations.

Bonus - Episode 2.5
I little bit about me via Devon

Sometimes the interviewer becomes the interviewee. Talking with Devon was fun for all kinds of reasons. Not the least of which was that he was genuinely interested in me and my work and would often turn the questions back on me.
 
This little extra bit is one of those times. The ideas that came out resonated throughout the full interview, though, and were too good not to share.
 
(For the record, when I said that nothing surprised me, what I was going to say was that it didn’t surprise me, but validated what I assumed before talking with him. But I ended up on a different tangent…)